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jenvile 's review for:
Monkey King: Journey to the West
by Wu Ch'eng-En
”I am Monkey, the immortal sage of Flower-Fruit Mountain and a close neighbour of your king. I’m frankly surprised you need to ask.”
When I was still in my mum’s womb in 98’, she was always watching an adaptation of Journey to the West (in Vietnamese we called it: Tay Du Ky). Whether it was the beloved 1986 classic or the revamped Hong Kong TVB of the 1996 version, every generation, every child and every adult has their own monkey.
Despite originating from a country that has a long history of censorship and oppression, Monkey King is a biting satirical allegory on Chinese bureaucracy and humanity striving for perseverance. Its endurance is evident through countless adaptations, pop cultural references and impact within Asia and beyond.
I’m so grateful to have read this story, which has shaped my childhood, adolescence and now adulthood, through a brand new translation published this year by Julia Lovell. Julia has made this almost 500 year old beloved classic accessible, yet respectful to the original, and it’s clear in her acknowledgment that she understands the significance and reverence of this story and these characters.
I’m aware I wrote absolutely nothing about the story because it’d be impossible to. I’m just very happy that we have this new translated and clothbound edition by Penguin and I’m even more grateful that it was gifted to me by my best friend.
Heaven is for gods and earth for ghosts; birth and death proceed cyclically, for such is the immutable order of nature.
When I was still in my mum’s womb in 98’, she was always watching an adaptation of Journey to the West (in Vietnamese we called it: Tay Du Ky). Whether it was the beloved 1986 classic or the revamped Hong Kong TVB of the 1996 version, every generation, every child and every adult has their own monkey.
Despite originating from a country that has a long history of censorship and oppression, Monkey King is a biting satirical allegory on Chinese bureaucracy and humanity striving for perseverance. Its endurance is evident through countless adaptations, pop cultural references and impact within Asia and beyond.
I’m so grateful to have read this story, which has shaped my childhood, adolescence and now adulthood, through a brand new translation published this year by Julia Lovell. Julia has made this almost 500 year old beloved classic accessible, yet respectful to the original, and it’s clear in her acknowledgment that she understands the significance and reverence of this story and these characters.
I’m aware I wrote absolutely nothing about the story because it’d be impossible to. I’m just very happy that we have this new translated and clothbound edition by Penguin and I’m even more grateful that it was gifted to me by my best friend.
Heaven is for gods and earth for ghosts; birth and death proceed cyclically, for such is the immutable order of nature.